ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the Religious Right and its efforts to prevent lesbian, gay, bisexual couples from being able to legally marry. It examines how gay marriage opponents have regrouped and are fighting to secure legislation that allows those who disagree with marriage equality to exercise their views without fear of retribution or discrimination. The public was becoming increasingly supportive of general rights for sexual minorities, but a majority still opposed marriage rights. A Family Research Council advertisement created to rally support for the amendment linked defense of traditional marriage to patriotism, arguing that voting for candidates who oppose same-sex marriage (SSM) is a vote to protect America's future. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 to help coordinate organized opposition to SSM in state legislatures. The chapter looks at the arguments and messaging strategies of the marriage opponents within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights movement.